Lokomotiv reigns in Europe!

The Muscovites edge Griffin in the final to claim the Euro Winners Cup, as Besiktas earn the third place in the Continental showpiece

Lokomotiv claimed the Euro Winners Cup to round a dream season. Their victory in the final over Griffin (UKR) has the Muscovite bagging the European title, after they seized the Russian National League and the Mundialito de Clubes last 2012.

With the team?s backbone comprised by most of the Russian National side, and the star signings Madjer and Belchior, ?Loko? is truly a merciless machine. In the decider today, the Russian champions made it impossible for their opponents, despite the amusing amount of talent Griffin banks on. One goal in the first period got Leonov?s side on command, with Makarov to follow midway first period to widen the distance to a more comfortable 2-0.

Griffin were having not enough with the amazing saves by Vitalii Sydorenko, awarded as Best Goalkeeper of the tournament, to contest an amazingly solid Lokomotiv Moscow. None of the Ukrainian attempts found any kind of success, and minutes ticked unstoppably ticked down to confirm the Russian victory. Just some seconds to the final whistle, Belchior?s 3-0 finally sealed the win for Lokomotive, who become the kings of the European Club panorama.

Goals: 0-1: Shaykov, min. 2 (1); 0-2: Makarov, min. 5 (2); 0-3: Belchior, min. 0 (3)

Besiktas (TUR) upset Grasshopper to snatch bronze

Besiktas JK edged Grasshopper Club Zurich and seized the third place in this Euro Winners Cup. The Turkish players, who were denied a place in the final by Lokomotiv after a breath-taking penalty kick shootout, could get even, at least partially, with that bad taste in their mouths. Their all-round performance surprised the Grasshoppers, who found no ways to counteract the Turkish intensity.

Defenses prevailed over attacks during the first half of the game, when few goal chances were conceded at either end. Bruno Torres helped the Istanbul side hit first, and get hold of a game lead they would not let go. Ayhan, widened the distance with the 0-2, and he himself hit again in the last minute to finish the game.

Mitchell Day pulled one back for the Swiss champions, but that was way not enough to change things. With the final whistle, Besiktas clinched the third place in this first ever Euro Winners Cup. 

Goals: 0-1: Bruno Torres, min. 6 (2); 0-2: Ayhan, min. 1 (2); 0-3: Ayhan, min. 0 (3); 1-3: Day, min. 0 (3);

Brilliant reaction by Terracina (ITA) to clinch fifth place

The Serie A champions finished this Euro Winners Cup in the fifth place, after bringing on a laudable reaction to Grembach Lodz?s dominion in the first stages of the game. Despite the Polish opened the score and reached the third period ahead, five goals by the Transalpine in the last stage got them prevailing in the play-off for the fifth position in the competition. Grembach could not react to the amusing pace fielded by the Puntini, and only could pull one goal back amid the Italian festival.

Goals: 1-0: Baran, min. 8 (1); 1-1: Spada, min. 7 (2); 2-1: Mordon, min. 3 (2) 2-2: M. Oleilla, min. 8 (3); 2-3: corosiniti, min. 5 (3); 2-4: Frainetti, min. 4 (3); 2-5: Feudi, min. 1 (3); 3-5: Baran, min. 0 (3); 3-6: Llorenç, min. 0 (1)

Bate Borisov (BLR) end in 7th place after bending Goldwin Pluss (HUN)

Goldwin Pluss and Bate Borisov faced today again in the fight for the seventh place in this Euro Winners Cup. And again, the victory fell on the Belarusian champions? side, thanks to a solid performance that clearly displayed that they perfectly knew their opponents. One hit in each period got things really uphill for the Magyar. Goldwin Pluss found no ways to do any harm on Bate?s resistance, and their misfortune was even more evident when Tamas Fekete missed a penalty kick that could have got them back on the game. After that, two new hits by Bate Borisov finished the game, and let Bogaichuk?s lads bag the 7th place.

Goals: 0-1: Bogaichuk, min. 1 (1); 0-2: Yakubovsky, min. 4 (2); 0-3: Pernai, min. 8 (3); 1-4: Zheckho, min. 3 (3); 0-5: Bogaichuk, min. 2 (3)

EURO WINNERS CUP 2013
San Benedetto del Tronto (ITA) ? 15th to 19th of May

FINALS

Sun 19/05/13
14.45 (pitch 1) – Goldwin Pluss 0-5 Bate Borisov – match for the 7th place
16.00 (pitch 1) ? Grembach Lodz 3-6 ASD Terracina – match for the 5th place
17.15 (pitch 1) ? Grasshopper 1-3 Besiktas JK – match for the 3rd place
18.30 (pitch 1) ? Griffin 0-3 Lokomotiv Moscow ? FINAL

Final standings:
Champions: Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS)
Runner-ups: Griffin (UKR)
3rd place: Besiktas JK (TUR)
4th place: Grasshopper Club Zurich (SUI)
5th place: ASD Terracina (ITA)
6th place: Grembach Lodz (POL)
7th place: Bate Borisov (BLR)
8th place: Goldwin Pluss (HUN)

Individual awards
MVP: Egor Shaykov (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Top Scorer: Dejan Stankovic (Grasshopper Club Zurich) ? 13 goals
Best Goalkeeper: Vitalii Sydorenko (Griffin)